How the F-117 Nighthawk's faceted shape eluded 1980s radar
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk's unusual angular design gave it a radar signature small enough to change how far away a fire-control radar could pick it up, and the shape came from restrictive calculations rather than a futuristic computer.
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk looks like a paper plane folded by someone who had never seen a wing. It is about 20.1 metres long. Its radar return measured between roughly 0.001 and 0.003 square metres, low enough to change the distance at which a fire-control radar could detect it.
According to the account, the striking part is where the shape came from. It was not the work of a futuristic computer optimising an aircraft for stealth, but of a far more constrained set of calculations.
Sources
- simpleflying.comWhy The F-117 Nighthawk's Faceted Design Made It Nearly Invisible To 1980s Radar